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], "description": "Flash meets two new bears while Jose tries to bring the underworld under his control", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Flash meets two new bears while Jose tries to bring the underworld under his control", "writing": "[center][u]Chapter 2: Friends or Foes[/u][/center]\n\nFlash was barely conscious by the time he and Soul Heart got back to her apartment and he stumbled to the bedroom, shedding his clothes on the way. Soul Heart rolled her eyes and picked up the teenaged bear’s clothes until he practically collapsed into the bed.\n\n“Want me to tell you everything?” Soul Heart was putting the clothes away, only to see Flash had already fallen asleep. She smiled and pulled the covers up to his neck, “Sleep tight then, I’ll tell you at breakfast.”\n\nFlash Heart woke up the next day feeling grimy and gross despite sleeping in a comfortable bed. He stumbled towards the bathroom and did something he’d been wanting to do for ages, took a shower. That was enough to wake him up and jog his memory as he stepped out to find Soul Heart having set out a bowl of cereal for him.\n\n“Good morning, sleep well?” Soul Heart smiled.\n\n“Yeah, I mean considering…” Flash Heart was hungry enough to start eating without saying anything until he was finished the first bowl, “So what’s going on? I mean, CB6, big Frankensteins, that little brat, you drinking that green stuff and Von Reichter?”\n\nSoul Heart sighed, having hoped Flash Heart would dismiss it as a dream if only because of how much she’d have to explain. “It’s very long story.” She took a drink of water, “First I should tell you that I don’t need to eat or sleep, just drink some water to keep hydrated, I get all the nourishment I need from that green liquid, called sustenance. As for everything, I guess I’ll start back as far as I can remember.”\n\nFlash Heart poured himself another bowl of cereal as he listened.\n\n“My creator is a man who goes by the name Doctor Von Reichter. He used to call himself Professor Cold Heart and before that… I think his name was Joseph. I don’t know his whole history but I heard him rant about having to use ‘rat lines’ to escape punishment and fake his death and ‘being reduced to a stupid grudge’ against ‘fuzzy wuzzies’.”\n\nFlash Heart nearly choked, laughing at the term used and Soul Heart waited until he stopped coughing to continue.\n\n“I think that was what he called the Care Bears, creatures like us he had a grudge against, maybe still does. I am the last of the CBs, I don’t know what it means but we were supposed to be spies and infiltrators, to sneak into the Care Bear Family and given minor shapeshifting powers so we could pick our own appearance and even some abilities we could use to fight them, like my hydro and cryokinesis. But he got something wrong, or rather he got something too right because we were too much like the Care Bears, too kind, too caring and too unwilling to take his orders and I heard him ranting one day about how stupid he’d been to let an obsession and a faulty body cloud his judgement. We were planning to escape but before we could he exterminated us. My nine siblings were all killed and I only escaped because I had been the first out into the river we planned to swim out of. I heard them scream but I had to keep going…” She reached up to wiped some tears that had formed in her eyes, then stared at the drops on her fur.\n\n“That’s… I’m sorry…” Flash had finished his second bowl and now just sat there. “Then what?”\n\n“I don’t know, I managed to come here without being seen since this is the only place someone like me can blend in,” she smiled, “it was fine for a while, then the spasms started. You know that green sustenance I drank? Without it I can’t survive. It’s how Von Reichter ensured our loyalty so we would be dependent on him. I just got lucky that this is where he’s decided to start his operations again because I need to steal the sustenance from his other creations to survive, and I have to be careful about it because not only do I need to keep getting more but the more I use my special abilities the more I drain. I have to go out every night not just to stop what Von Reichter is doing but to keep myself alive.” Soul Heart sat down across from Flash who had finished his second bowl.\n\nFlash just sat there, taking in everything he had heard, “So, now what?”\n\n“Now I have to get ready for work and unless you want to stay here with nothing to do all day you’re still coming with me.” Soul Heart stood up again, “This weekend I need to buy more things for the apartment, like a working TV, and get you enrolled in school.”\n\n“Ugg,” Flash groaned, “Really?”\n\n“Yes, really,” Soul Heart said as they were heading out, “It’s not for a couple weeks but you need to go once you get settled in, alright?”\n\n“Fine…” Flash Heart grumbled but after all she had done for him already, he wasn’t really going to complain. “Are you a boy or a girl?”\n\n“What?” Soul Heart stopped.\n\n“I mean you look like a girl now but when you’re CB6 you look like a guy so what are you?”\n\nSoul Heart had to think for a moment, “I’m both, I think the term is genderfluid. I feel very… nurturing as Soul Heart so I feel like a woman and when I’m out fighting Von Reichter’s monsters I feel like I need to present an air of strength so I feel like being a man, I don’t know if that makes sense.”\n\n“Me either,” Flash Heart chuckled half-heartedly as they left the building.\n\nOoOoO\n\nFour weeks later: Jose was in his office, standing on Frostbite’s shoulders to look at a map of the city, when the giant portrait flashed as Von Reichter called. Jose was startled enough to fall off Frostbite with a yelp.\n\n“Father!” he scrambled to stand up and face the giant screen, “What did you need?”\n\n“Just a simple check-in and an update. What are your plans, Jose?” Von Reichter tapped his fingers together.\n\n“Oh, I know you’ll love this,” Jose grinned then goose stepped over to the map. He pointed up at where he had marked several locations with a red X, “These are the hubs of underworld activity in Meridiana, I’m going to take them over.”\n\n“And create a network of information, and ideal places to install Tecnos,” Von Reichter offered a sinister smile.\n\n“Exactly, and stockpiling weapons and money,” Jose rubbed his hands together.\n\n“Yes yes,” Von Reichter settled back to his usual scowl, “And what is the word on CB6?”\n\n“He’s been… going after the fixed ideas but so far he hasn’t caught on to this plan.” Jose became visibly nervous.\n\n“So I see,” Von Reichter frowned, “do you have anything to report about where it might be?”\n\n“Ooh! Ooh ooh ooh ooh!” Frostbite waved his hand, “I remember! There’s this yellow bear! A kid! He stole the keys when we kidnapped the printers!”\n\n“A yellow bear? Is this true?” Von Reichter turned his attention from Frostbite back to Jose.\n\nJose stomped a foot, “Yes! That little brat threw the truck keys into the ocean!”\n\n“Then I have just the thing. I will send it over to befriend him and he will lead us to CB6, or perhaps just kill him, either way a success. Continue with the operations, Jose,” the screen shut off.\n\nOoOoO\n\nCB6 crouched on a rooftop, watching a fixed idea peek out from a door the squeeze out and walk down an alley.\n\n“What are you up to, Jose?” he whispered, his eyes still locked on the monster.\n\nThe sound of scraping on a nearby rooftop and a growl from nearby drew CB6’s attention and he jumped aside barely in time to avoid a pounce from a wolf-like monster. It snarled at him and he kicked out at it only for it to dodge away. CB6 was about to conjure a spear of ice when the wolf monster suddenly took off, its black fur making it nearly impossible to see in the dark. \n\nCB6 checked over the building ledge only to see an empty alleyway, “Damn, too late. No sustenance tonight or finding out what Jose is up to,” the sun was just starting to rise as he made a beeline for home.\n\nCB6 arrived home through his window as the sun was rising and heard the shower running. By the time Flash Heart was out and dressed CB6 had changed back to Soul Heart Bear and was rather flustered.\n\n“Late night?” Flash Heart asked.\n\n“Yes, sorry no time to make breakfast!” Soul Heart was hurriedly dressing for work.\n\nFlash Heart rolled his eyes, “I’m good,” he pulled out the new toaster she’d bought before school started, “Thanks though.” He munched on peanut butter on toast and washed it down with a glass of water, “See ya after school, mom!” he shouted as he ran out, grabbing his backpack as he ran.\n\nSoul Heart froze as the door slammed behind him, “Mom? He called me mom?” She put a hand over her chest as a tear came to her eye, the wiped the tear away, “Why am I crying? I don’t have a heart but… I feel,” she smiled as she cried, only barely managing to get herself under control before she left for work, still smiling the whole way.\n\nFlash Heart hadn’t even registered what he had said as he walked to school. The street had felt oddly empty ever since Soul Heart took him in and he still couldn’t quite place why.\n\n“Want me to tell your fortune?” the voice startled Flash and he stopped to look down at the source: a black bear like himself but maybe about ten years old and wearing the same kind of raggedy clothes Flash wore while he lived on the street; despite his circumstance he was smiling and shuffling a deck of tarot cards that were frayed but still complete and next to him a small hat partly full of change.\n\n“Umm not right now, I’m gonna be late for school. Will you be here later um…?” Flash was fidgeting, fighting the urge to stay and talk and the need to get to school on time.\n\n“Tarot Heart,” the young bear replied, “and I’ll be here if I don’t get chased off.”\n\n“OK, Tarot, gotta go!” Flash Heart started jogging away as he heard Tarot Heart asking more passers-by if they wanted their fortunes told. It wasn’t until he reached the front of the school that Flash Heart realized what was missing from the street: the homeless. When had lived on the streets he had known a number of other homeless people who had to scrape by like he had but for a week or so before he met Soul Heart they had all but vanished, the same time a lot of the water went bad-.\n\n*CRASH!*\n\nFlash Heart ran right into another student and knocked them to the ground.\n\n“Oopsy, sorry,” the high-pitched voice came from a neon green bear with long messy hair and wearing a baggy sweater and pants, “I should look where I’m going.”\n\n“Sorry!” Flash immediately reached down to help them up, “I should have too.”\n\nThe green bear smiled, “Thanks, umm what’s your name?”\n\n“Flash Heart Bear,” he checked to make sure he hadn’t dropped anything, “and you?”\n\nThe green bear scratched the back of their head, “Well everyone calls me Oopsy because I was always so clumsy but-” the sound of the 5-minute warning bell interrupted the conversation and Oopsy’s blue eyes went wide and they took off, saying they couldn’t be late for class. Flash too had to make a mad dash for his first class of the day.\n\nFlash was still trying to get the hang of being in school, mostly trying to socialize with the other students. He wasn’t sure how to approach anyone, human or animal, and recognized a few of them from when they had gone to the library; he had been surprised that his English teacher was a brown lynx. He even saw Oopsy in a couple of his classes but wasn’t sure how to approach anyone.\n\nIt didn’t help that he had a lot of catch-up work to do if he wanted to stay in grade 11 and he spent lunch doing homework so he wouldn’t have to do any at home. Oopsy seemed to want to approach him but backed away to go eat in a corner of the lunch room instead. Flash didn’t even notice.\n\nOoOoO\n\nSoul Heart was practically at work the whole day, seeming to be in a happy trance until lunch time.\n\n“Hey, Soul Heart.”\n\nShe turned to see Lucas Amato at the returns and renews desk and rolled her eyes while still smiling, “Here to renew your class books again?”\n\n“Yeah, and I was hoping we could eat lunch,” Lucas laughed nervously.\n\nSoul Heart checked the clock, “Didn’t realize it was that late already, sure.” She called for someone to replace her and left with Lucas.\n\n“I’m surprised, I didn’t think you’d take it,” Lucas said as they stepped outside.\n\n“Well I just feel good today,” Soul Heart was still smiling, “Have you been wanting to ask me out?”\n\n“Well maybe, I mean you’ve been a big help with the books so I just felt like treating you,” Lucas led her to a small café that was relatively well upkept.\n\n“I’ve never been here before, usually I just go to a fast-food place,” Soul Heart sat down.\n\n“It’s good food. I eat here all the time. So what will you have?” Lucas sat down across from her.\n\nSoul Heart looked at the menu, feeling bad that she had to waste food, “Just a ham sandwich, I don’t eat much.”\n\n“I get it, smaller body means you need to eat less,” Lucas ordered their lunches then sat back down as they waited.\n\n“Why do you say that?” Soul Heart gulped slightly.\n\n“Basic rule of biology and the square-cube law. Reducing or increasing the height of a living creature has a more drastic effect on its weight and the amount of food it needs to consume.” Lucas rattled off the facts like he was back in front of his class.\n\n“You’re a biologist?” Soul Heart was eager to change the subject.\n\n“That’s what I’d like to do, but it doesn’t pay the bills so I need to teach too. Not that I mind but it’s just not my passion.” Lucas got up to get their food once he saw it was ready.\n\nSoul Heart watched as he retrieved their food, “So… how is my son doing in school?”\n\n“Flash Heart? He’s doing well. Got some catching up to do but he’ll be up to speed by the end of the month,” Lucas sat down with their food, “your son huh?”\n\nSoul Heart looked up with a faraway smile in her eyes, “He called me mom for the first time today, I wasn’t sure before but now I am.” She looked at the simple sandwich in front of her, then picked it up to take a bite.\n\nLucas took several mouthfuls of soup and bit into his own sandwich before he asked, “So why did you end up at the library?”\n\nSoul Heart swallowed her mouthful, “I like to read,” was the only answer she could give before she went back to her lunch.\n\nLucas and Soul Heart parted ways before she returned to the library and she excused herself to the bathroom before she went back to her shift. She had to lock the door behind her in the one-stall woman’s room before she went to the toilet, took several deep breaths then deliberately vomited up the chewed up but undigested remains of the sandwich and flushed them down the toilet. She had to take a breather after that and catch her breath before rinsing out her mouth.\n\nShe truly didn’t need to eat and while this didn’t drain any sustenance it still grossed her out. She could fake eating and swallow stuff but other than water she just had to hold the chewed-up food in a hollow inside her body where it would sit until she could puke it back up like she just did before it started to go bad since it wouldn’t digest. She washed her face and sighed, staring at her face in the mirror, “I need to keep pretending, for Flash’s sake if not my own.” She sighed, cleaned up and went back to work, stopping for a drink of water first.\n\nOoOoO\n\nFlash Heart was only too relieved when school was out for the day and he hurried out the door, almost crashing into Oopsy again but not noticing even as his name was called. Oopsy sighed and slunk away.\n\nFlash only slowed down when he reached the street where he had met Tarot Heart on his way to school and smiled when he saw the young black bear there, still telling fortunes but now with a much fuller cap.\n\nTarot Heart smiled as he saw Flash approach and waved, “Hi, want to hear your fortune now?”\n\n“No thanks,” Flash stopped in front of him. “but I was wondering if you’d like to come home with me, go someplace you could have a good meal and maybe stay over.” He didn’t know why he was offering so suddenly for someone he barely met but probably because he felt sorry for him, living on the streets and probably alone.\n\nTarot Heart brightened up, “Really! I’d like too…” his face suddenly fell as he gathered up his tarot cards, “but I can’t, I’m sorry.” He picked up the hat full of change.\n\n“Why not?” Flash was concerned.\n\n“I just can’t!” Tarot Heart took off, heading down an alley. Flash reached out for him but didn’t follow. He wanted to chase him, try to find out what was wrong, but instead turned and headed for home.\n\nFirst thing Flash did was his homework, if only so he wouldn’t have Soul Heart demanding that he do it once she got home. He turned on the TV to watch some after-school shows in the background.\n\nHe sighed and sat back on the couch as he finished his math, wondering about his encounters with Tarot Heart and Oopsy Bear, then his mind wandered back to his homework as he opened his science textbook to answer the questions Mr. Amato had given them that night.\n\nHe was just finishing up when Soul Heart came home, more groceries in her hands since she couldn’t risk showing off her strength by buying too much in one day.\n\n“How was school, Flash?” she asked as she put a jar of pickles in the fridge.\n\n“It was fine, mom, just more work,” he sighed as he closed his last textbook, “Homework’s done.”\n\nSoul Heart smiled but didn’t say anything, to the point that Flash Heart looked over at her, “What?”\n\n“You called me mom, just like this morning,” Soul Heart said as she finished putting the food away.\n\nFlash Heart felt embarrassed, “Yeah umm… because you’re nice to me and…” he wanted to try and get out of this but after seeing Soul Heart smile he sighed, “Yeah you’re my mom.”\n\nSoul Heart sat down next to him and gave him a hug, “And I’m happy to be your mom.”\n\nFlash Heart blushed from embarrassment until something that he had been thinking about finally came back to the front of his mind. “Mom, do you know what happened to all the homeless people?”\n\nSoul Heart let him go, “What?”\n\n“There were more homeless people around when I lived on the street but… they seem to be all be gone now…”\n\nSoul Heart sighed and stood up, “I do and I wish I had been able to stop it. A couple months ago, while I was still settling in, Von Reichter’s agents poisoned a lot of the water sources around the city. Nothing in people’s homes or public buildings but places outside where people without homes would have to drink.”\n\n“Yeah, the water got bad, that’s why I almost died,” Flash Heart fidgeted nervously, “What happened?”\n\n“It wasn’t so bad that you’d drop dead in a moment but it would build up if you drank it a lot and most people could just drink safely at home. I wasn’t ready to fight the Fixed Ideas yet but I saw that after drinking enough of it the people would just collapse, not sure if they were dead or just unconscious. Then the Fixed Ideas came around and took them away. I don’t know what happened to them after that.” Soul Heart had been pacing as she spoke and now turned to her adopted son, “Why did you want to know?”\n\n“I met this homeless bear kid named Tarot Heart today, he was reading fortunes for money and… I wanted to know if he could come home here with me, like as a little brother,” Flash Heart realized how foolish he sounded even as he said it.\n\nSoul Heart sighed, “Maybe. It’s nice that you want to help but I’m not sure how I can handle taking care of two children, especially one who wouldn’t be old enough to be home alone even if you look after him. I’ll have to think about it but for now I just need to get supper ready and you need to get some sleep. I need to find out what Jose is up to lately.”\n\nFlash Heart sighed, “Fine,” he wasn’t surprised so he just turned to the TV to relax while he waited for supper.\n\nOoOoO\n\nCB6 was out that night staying hot on the trail of a fixed idea to another of Jose’s ventures. He crouched at a rooftop edge as he watched the fixed idea check around before entering a door. “Got ya,” he was about to jump down when he heard a growl nearby. CB6 barely dodged aside as the wolf monster dropped, claws extended in such a way that would have severely maimed him had he not moved.\n\nCB6 rounded on the creature, getting a good look at it in the moonlight for the first time: it was a huge black wolf, almost twice CB6’s height, was obviously female with its lithe figure and fur-covered breasts, had fierce yellow eyes and shaggy neon-green hair. Most importantly were its long teeth as he snarled at CB6 then pounced again. CB6 barely dodged aside and created a thin sheet ice on the roof but that did little to slow down the werewolf as its claws easily gripped the ice then pounced at CB6 again which forced him over the side of the building and to the street.\n\nThe mob boss heard the noise outside and stood up, pointing to one of his subordinates, “Joe, go check that out now!”\n\nThe order was about to be carried out when the door to the office burst open and two fixed ideas forced their way in, followed by Frostbite and Jose, who goose-stepped in with a smug look on his face\n\n“What the hell’s going one?!” the boss demanded.\n\nJose just gave an evil grin, “Your organization belongs to me now!”\n\n“Yeah right!” The man who had been ordered tried to charge Jose, only to be grabbed by a fixed idea and slammed into the wall nearby. Everyone watched his body slide to the ground.\n\n“Any other objections?” Jose goose-stepped up to the desk and hopped up, the boss sat back down in shock and weakly shook his head as Jose leaned over him.\n\n“Good,” Jose turned around and spread his arms, “I’m going to rule the underworld!” he pointed to the fallen but still alive man who had tried to charge him, “Take care of him for me, Frostbite.”\n\n“Duh, ok!” Frostbite easily picked up the severely injured man and carried him out the door.\n\nOutside, Frostbite ignored the sounds of a fight as CB6 hit the street hard and had to roll out of the way as the werewolf struck down where he had been a moment ago. It rounded on CB6 as he tried to stand and pounced, only to get punched in the gut as CB6 threw an uppercut then jumped back as it staggered. He didn’t notice Frostbite escaping, too focused on fighting for his life and had to duck under another snap from the werewolf’s jaw then strike out at its chest, just barely missing.\n\nThe two of them began to trade blows, each seeking a killing strike but neither able to land one as they jumped back up to the rooftops until, without warning, the wolf stopped mid strike, its arm pulled back for a punch.\n\nCB6 stood there and watched; if he had normal lungs he’d be panting at this point. The wolf shuddered then turned and leapt from roof to roof, escaping into the night.\n\n“Another one of Von Reichter’s experiments,” CB6 relaxed then snapped his head right as he heard a door opening nearby then darted over to see what it was.\n\nBy a stroke of luck he caught the last two fixed ideas as they were leaving the meeting place. CB6 cracked his knuckles, “I need a refill,” then jumped down on them before they could look up. Once he had finished them off and drank their sustenance, CB6 hurried back home. Not much closer to being on to Jose’s plan, hopefully he’d have a better lead tomorrow night.\n\nOoOoO\n\nFlash Heart was running late the next day and he barely had time to drink his cereal straight from the bowl and say goodbye to Soul Heart before he was out the door. Despite his haste, Flash still slowed down where Tarot Heart had been yesterday if only to talk for a minute but he wasn’t there so Flash had to start running again.\n\nHe was panting by the time he got to class and absolutely crashed into his first period chair; he barely had time to look around for Oopsy before class started.\n\nFortunately, Oopsy found him at lunch.\n\n“Can I sit here, please?”\n\nFlash Heart turned and gaped. Oopsy had clearly had more time to dress herself this morning, she wore a lavender skirt and white blouse that was much less baggy than her shirt the previous day had been which showed her bust through the fabric and her formerly shaggy hair of hair had been brushed back and tied in a short braid.\n\n“Sure,” Flash scooted sideways to give her more room, “you’re a girl?” Was all he could say, dumbly.\n\nOopsy giggled, “Did you think I was a guy?”\n\n“I didn’t know, only ran into you for a minute,” Flash realized he was staring and turned back to his lunch.\n\n“It’s fine,” Oopsy opened her lunch and dug in.\n\nFlash finished all too fast and was somewhat stumped for conversation, “So… you say everyone calls you Oopsy, but is that your real name?”\n\nOopsy shook her head and swallowed, “No, my real name is Dizzy Bear, but you can call me Oopsy, I don’t mind.”\n\n“That’s a cute name, like you,” Flash blushed but didn’t retract.\n\n“Thanks,” Oopsy giggled.\n\n“So uhh… want to hang out after school? We could go to the library,” Flash fought the urge to avert his gaze from her.\n\n“I’d love to,” she leaned over and nuzzled Flash’s cheek.\n\n“What?” Flash blinked.\n\n“Sorry, too much?” Oopsy turned and leaned forwards slightly. Was she flirting with him?\n\n“Not really,” Flash cleared his throat, “Thank you. See you after school, want to get my homework done,” he hastily gathered up his lunch and books then bolted while Oopsy, or Dizzy, watched him go with a serious grin on her face before she returned to her lunch.\n\nFlash was panting as he made it to the small school library to work in peace, despite being distracted by Oopsy’s flirtation, or should he call her Dizzy? He’d decide later. If he wanted to just hang out after school he’d have to finish his math.\n\nFlash and Oopsy met up after school and headed for the library but at an intersection Flash turned and saw Tarot Heart sitting up against a building. “Wait!” Flash Heart stopped Oopsy from going too far.\n\n“What?” Oopsy didn’t have any time to object before Flash took off towards where Tarot was just finishing up a reading for a passer-by.\n\nThe black bear cub was startled when Flash slowed to a stop in front of him, “Flash! I…” his voice trembled, “I thought you wouldn’t find me,” he sounded unsure if he wanted that to happen or not.\n\n“I missed you, wanted to know if you thought about what I asked before,” Flash panted slightly as Oopsy caught up to him, and she wasn’t even winded.\n\n“I… I…” Tarot looked away from Flash to see Oopsy, not sure how to explain himself. His found himself staring into the hard eyes of the green girl bear. “You,” he said quietly.\n\n“What? Me?” Oopsy’s eyes narrowed dangerously.\n\nTarot Heart stood up, his eyes still on Oopsy Bear, “You don’t have to-”\n\n“Hey, whaddya doing!” the shout made Tarot freeze as his fur stood on end as he slowly turned to see a fat adult human man lumbering down the street towards him. His voice was high and reedy and he sounded like he was perpetually congested, “I told ya to stop the stupid card tricks and go back to getting wallets!” He grabbed Tarot by the shirt and lifted him off the ground.\n\n“I-I can’t!” Tarot Heart was shaking I the man’s grip, too scared to even struggle, “I felt… I mean I-”\n\n“No more excuses!” He threw Tarot Heart on the ground, “If you don’t get one today then-”\n\n“You won’t do anything!” Flash Heart had been too stunned to react at first but now he stood between the man and Tarot Heart, fists clenched.\n\n“Get outta my way! I own that boy and he owes me for keeping him off the street!” He tried to push Flash Heart aside.\n\nDespite his short stature, Flash Heart was still a bear and he managed to grab the man’s arm to stop from being brushed aside, “Fuck you!” He growled, “It doesn’t matter if you ‘saved’ him from the street if you treat him like that! Get the fuck out of here!”\n\n“No kid treats me like that!” He raised his fist to strike Flash Heart, but Flash threw the first punch, hitting him right in his oversized gut.\n\n“No, stop!” Tarot pleaded, but the brawl had already started as the black bear got back to his feet. Flash took a hit to the face but stayed standing despite the pain, learning from when he had to brawl on the streets to survive but despite how slow the boss was all that fat meant Flash couldn’t inflict any damage.\n\nOn reflex, Tarot ran to Oopsy Bear and latched onto her tearing up and hoping she could protect him. She glared at Tarot Heart and almost reflexively shoved him away, then a spark shot through her body and her eyes widened as she felt him shaking and scared. She put her hands on his shoulders and watched Flash Heart’s fight for a minute before gently pushing Tarot back.\n\nWhen Tarot’s ‘boss’ overextended on a punch Oopsy darted in and kicked at his legs with surprising strength which sent him sprawling. Flash smiled at Oopsy then turned to the man as he struggled to stand.\n\n“Leave Tarot Heart alone,” was all Flash said.\n\nThe man finally stood up and glared at Tarot Heart, “You’ll be back when you get hungry enough, and if you don’t have something for me you won’t get to eat!” he stumbled away.\n\nFlash let out a sigh of relief, “Thanks for the help, Dizzy.”\n\n“You’re welcome,” Oopsy sighed too, only now realizing she was trembling.\n\nFlash’s attention was drawn to Tarot Heart as he had started crying, having sunk down to his knees and shaking all over. Flash was as his side, crouched down and giving the younger bear a hug, “Hey, it’s ok now. He’s gone.”\n\n“B-but, I don’t h-have anywhere to go,” Tarot Heart hugged Flash back, “What am I g-gonna do?!” he sobbed.\n\n“You can stay with me and mom.” Tarot Heart looked up through his now bloodshot eyes at the yellow bear, who just smiled back, “Yeah, you can stay with us and be my little brother. We just have to tell her.”\n\n“R-really?” Tarot Heart sniffed again.\n\n“Yeah,” Flash turned to Oopsy, “still want to come to the library with us?”\n\nOopsy had been standing there, watching the display and feeling her heart melt. It shouldn’t have been that way yet now she couldn’t help but get emotional at the sight. She shook her head to clear the fog, “I’m sorry, Flash, but I have somewhere to be,” she clutched at the middle of her chest.\n\n“What, where?” Flash stood up and helped Tarot to his feet.\n\n“I’m sorry!” Oopsy shouted then suddenly turned and darted away and around a corner. The small crowd of onlookers that had stopped to watch once Tarot’s boss showed up started to disperse now that the drama seemed to be over.\n\nFlash Heart sighed sadly and took Tarot’s hand, “Let’s go, I want mom to meet you before we go home.”\n\nTarot Heart wiped his eyes and tried to smile, “thank you, Flash Heart.”\n\nOopsy Bear hid down an alley still clutching her chest. It hurt badly at first but now it was a good hurt? Was that even right? She was just supposed to get close to Flash but once Tarot touched her something broke inside her, something oppressive and painful and now emotions she thought she didn’t want to feel flowed freely inside her, and yet she wanted to keep feeling them even as things kept going. She shook her head, smoothed out her clothes then walked away with Tarot’s Heart’s words ringing in her head.\n\n“You don’t have to.”\n\nOoOoO\n\n“Hello, Flash- oh my god! What happened?” Soul Heart forgot herself for a moment and vaulted over the return’s desk as Flash Heart and Tarot Heart entered the library, Flash’s eye starting to swell shut.\n\nFlash did his best to smile but winced at the pain, “Just a little disagreement with Tarot Heart’s boss.”\n\n“What?” Soul Heart stared at him, then quickly called for someone to cover her break and pulled them to the library’s break room. \n\nLacking a real ice pack Soul Heart wrapped up some ice cubes from the freezer in paper towels and gave it to Flash to hold to his eye as he explained what happened.\n\nSoul Heart turned to Tarot Heart who was sitting still and silent in a nearby chair. “Why were you with that man?”\n\n“He… he took me off the street, me and other kids, made us steal stuff for him, but the others disappeared so he made me do more stuff, but I could feel things,” he held his head in one hand, “If I stole a wallet I could feel how it made people mad or scared so I couldn’t do it any more. I tried to just tell fortunes to earn money but it was never enough,” Tarot Heart was crying now, “Now I-I can’t go back, I…I…”\n\nFlash Heart looked at Soul Heart and, with his one free eye, pleaded with her. Soul Heart sighed but smiled, “You can live with us, Tarot Heart.”\n\n“R-really?” Tarot Heart’s eye shone with hope.\n\n“Yes, just stay here and rest and I’ll take you home when I’m done for the day,” Soul Heart left to return to her shift.\n\nTarot Heart wiped his eyes clean of tears and turned to Flash, “Does she mean it?”\n\n“Yep, ow!” Flash winced as he felt his eye throb under the ice, “I promise you’ll like it there.”\n\n“So… what do I have to do?” Tarot suddenly became nervous.\n\n“Nothing, well maybe go to school but we’re not going to make you work,” Flash Heart said. He finally pulled the ice away from his eye as it was half melted by now, “I just gotta wait for this black eye to go away.”\n\nTarot Heart nodded, “Sorry.”\n\n“It’s fine, I think its worth it,” Flash Heart sighed, “Just wait till we get home.”\n\nOoOoO\n\nMuch like Flash Heart, Tarot Heart was amazed at the apartment despite how simply furnished it was. The younger bear practically flung himself on the couch and giggled as he felt how much softer it felt than anywhere else he could sit or lie down before. Flash Heart had a black eye, still visible through his fur, and he sat down next to Flash.\n\n“Feels nice, doesn’t it?”\n\n“Yeah,” Tarot Heart rolled over so he could look at Flash, “but what if my boss comes back.”\n\n“Don’t worry,” Flash nodded to Soul Heart, who was in the kitchen area, “Mom will keep us safe, she’s a superhero.”\n\n“Really?” Tarot Heart sat up.\n\n“I wouldn’t call myself that, but I promise he won’t come back for you,” Soul Heart nodded, “And yes I can do extraordinary things, but I’ll explain after supper. Does beef stew sound good?” she pulled a couple cans of the stew down.\n\n“Sounds great!” Tarot Heart lit up.\n\nWhen they sat down Tarot Heart noticed that all Soul Heart had was water, “Don’t you have to eat?”\n\n“Oh, no because…” Soul Heart wasn’t sure about telling someone so young about her whole history.\n\n“Is it because of the green stuff you need to drink?” Tarot Heart’s question made them both jump.\n\nTarot Heart shrank back in on himself as he realized he’d said too much, “sorry.”\n\n“How’d you know that?” Soul Heart asked.\n\n“I can see things, in my head,” Tarot Heart tapped the side of his head, “Sometimes I see what’s going to happen with my tarot cards,” he pulled out the deck of cards he used for fortune telling, “and sometimes I see stuff from inside their head, and I can’t help talking about it.”\n\n“You’re psychic?” Flash Heart was surprised. Tarot just nodded.\n\n“Von Reichter experimented for that sort of thing but never made any progress,” Soul Heart sighed in relief, “did you boss know?”\n\n“Maybe… it’s how I could steal stuff so well, and why I stopped, I didn’t like hearing how they felt when they found their wallets missing,” Tarot Heart confessed.\n\n“That might be a lead, I’ll look into your boss tonight. Can you tell me where I can find him? You don’t have to if it hurts too much,” Soul Heart hastily added at the end.\n\n“I can,” Tarot Heart pushed his half-empty bowl aside and started shuffling the tarot cards, “Just give me a minute…”\n\nIt took a while for Soul Heart to interpret what Tarot showed her and by then supper was done and the sun was setting.\n\nTarot Heart watched in awe as Soul Heart shifted into CB6 finishing off by putting the fake glasses on.\n\n“I need to investigate this,” CB6 opened the window and stepped onto the ledge, “Flash, look after Tarot Heart, I don’t want Von Reichter or Jose finding out what he can do.” Without another word he jumped out the window.\n\nTarot ran to the ledge to watch CB6 take off into the fading light. He was about to step back when a powerful headache overtook his mind and he grabbed the sides of his head. “No!”\n\nFlash was at his side in an instant, catching his new little brother as he lost his footing, “What’s wrong, Tarot Heart?”\n\nThe black bear steadied himself as his eyes went wide, seeing the sights flash in front of his eyes, “We have to go, she’s in trouble!”\n\n“Who, mom? I mean CB6?” Flash looked out where he had disappeared into the night.\n\n“No! Oopsy!” Tarot was about to jump out the window but Flash held him back. Tarot looked back at Flash, feeling betrayed, “Don’t you want to help her?”\n\n“Yes, but let’s take the stairs instead of splattering ourselves on the street,” Flash pointed to the apartment door.\n\nTarot felt a bit embarrassed but nodded and closed the window before they both headed out.\n\nOoOoO\n\nIt was an old abandoned theater, not condemned but no longer in regular use. CB6 stood on the closest nearby building where she saw people gathering in the dead of night.\n\n“Alright, Jose, time to see what you little plan is all about,” as soon as the last group disappeared inside CB6 jumped over and in through one of the windows.\n\nFlash and Tarot weren’t far behind with Tarot leading the way. From the alley where they were hiding the building looked unoccupied.\n\n“Alright let’s g- what?” Flash was about to run for the door when he saw Oopsy Bear approaching. She walked hurriedly towards the door and opened it, vanishing inside without a word.\n\n“Dizzy?” Flash whispered. “Why are you here?”\n\n“She has to be but doesn’t want to,” Tarot Heart broke cover and bolted for the door. Flash Heart had to bite his tongue before he shouted out for him then took off after Tarot Heart. The younger bear opened the door quietly and thankfully there were no guards there, instead he was greeted by a wonderful smell.\n\n“Tarot!” Flash hissed, “Why… why…” Flash sniffed to. Chicken, Ham, potatoes, it smelled like a thanksgiving buffet and it was nearby! Both felt their mouths water, they weren’t ungrateful for the food their new mom provided but one could hardly blame then for salivating at the smell of foods they never had the chance to taste before.\n\n Flash Heart shook his head, “We gotta find Dizzy,” he did his best to ignore the smells.\n\n“But it smells so good,” Tarot whimpered.\n\n“I know, but I need to know why she’s here,” Flash had to drag Tarot Heart a couple steps before he willingly followed.\n\nOoOoO\n\nJose watched the weapons and munitions piling up on the main theatre stage with a sinister grin: rifles, SMGs, RPGs, rocket launchers and ammo aplenty all gathered from the underworld organizations solidified under his control and being piled up by the fixed ideas.\n\nJoe, the man who had been smashed by one of his guards, had returned to his boss’s side, he and the other former heads of the underworld were now cowed under Jose’s command. The boss was relieved that at least his henchman had been returned and apparently so were all of the others as Jose had done the same thing with their subordinates, nearly killed them then got them medical attention to demonstrate his power and resources. What really sealed the deal was the sumptuous banquet that had been laid out before them, on a table covered with a tablecloth probably worth more than the remains of the theatre that surrounded them was mouth watering food gathered from both their own connections and several of Jose’s own.\n\nJose turned to the food and grabbed a huge chicken drumstick, “Gentlemen, time to celebrate the new ruler of Meridiana: me! Stay with me and all this will be yours!” He took a big bite out of the drumstick which signaled to the other guests to start eating.\n\nFrom an upper balcony CB6 watched the whole gathering with a glare and from one level below Flash and Tarot crouched behind an awning. All three had to suppress a gasp when Oopsy walked up to Jose.\n\nOopsy’s fur stood on end in Jose’s presence but now she couldn’t mistake the smell that had entered the building some time ago.\n\nJose swallowed and turned to her with a glare, “Well, what do you want mutant girl?!”\n\n“There’s an intruder here,” Oopsy’s voice sounded hollow as she spoke.\n\n“Well go get them! Don’t bother my celebration feast!” He pointed out to the balconies with his half-finished drumstick. Oopsy said nothing, only turned and walked away while followed by the eyes of several of the other guests until she disappeared through a door.\n\nFlash heard Oopsy coming up the stairs and bolted for the nearby door, almost crashing into her as she emerged from the nearby stairwell.\n\n“Flash Heart!?” Oopsy almost shrieked when she ran into him, “What are you doing? You can’t be here!”\n\n“Me? Why are you here?” Flash Heart demanded.\n\n“You don’t have to be here,” Tarot Heart was panting as he stopped next to them.\n\nOopsy looked down at Tarot, then turned to Flash and grabbed him by the arms, “No! You don’t understand, I can’t leave them!”\n\n“Why not? Dizzy what’s wrong?” Flash winced at the girl bear’s strong grip.\n\n“Flash, Tarot!” CB6 had appeared in the doorway from the balcony, “What are you doing here? Who is she!?”\n\nOopsy’s hands shot to her head and she doubled over in pain. Flash was about to speak when Oopsy shouted, “Run! Flash!” And let out a sudden fierce growl.\n\nFlash and Tarot stepped back in shock as Oopsy stumbled back and her body started bulking up all over. She opened her mouth as her snout extended and her teeth grew into long fangs, her ears growing to triangular points and her fur changing from green to a greasy black save for a small amount of green hair on the top of her head. Her clothes finally gave way, tearing apart as her arms and legs grew longer, forcing Oopsy into a hunched position, supported on her front paws.\n\n“Run!” CB6 shouted as she charged at Oopsy, who just jumped right back at her, but mis-timed as CB6 sailed overhead.\n\nTarot listened and ran down the stairs but Flash could only watch as Oopsy the werewolf fought CB6. Seeing that he wouldn’t run, CB6 turned and ran into the balcony with the wolf on his trail.\n\nThe sound of smashing wood drew the feasters’ attention as CB6 jumped from the balcony to the floor and Oopsy the werewolf smashed through the railings while chasing him. CB6 had to practically bounce off the floor and onto the stage to avoid Oopsy smashing into him, but the wolf just chased her quarry on to the stage and jumping over the pile of weapons and ammo.\n\nJose jumped up to stand on his chair, “HA! Dinner and a show! Fixed ideas, shoot CB6 down!”\n\n“No! You can’t!” Tarot Heart had run down to the floor and grabbed Jose’s arm, “It’s not fair!”\n\nJose just grinned evilly at the small black bear, “I know, but it’s fun! Shoot him down!” he shouted. Tarot Heart stared, then jumped on Jose and knocked him off the chair.\n\n“Get him off me!” Jose shouted as Tarot tried to bite him. A fixed idea grabbed Tarot and pulled him off Jose, dangling Tarot by his shirt.\n\nJose pulled himself up and glared at Tarot Heart, “I’ll deal with you later. Shoot him!” He spun around and pointed to where CB6 and Oopsy hand landed on the upper balcony. Several mobsters and fixed ideas opened fire from rifles and handguns but too late to hit either of them.\n\nCB6 darted down to the middle balcony, even his body starting to feel the exertion of keeping ahead of the larger and stronger werewolf. He turned to face Oopsy as she landed on all fours across the balcony. She snarled and began to circle around, ready to pounce as the men below lost sight of them.\n\nOopsy was about to pounce when a shout stopped her.\n\n“Dizzy! Stop!” Flash Heart charged into the balcony and flung himself between Oopsy and CB6, arms spread and facing the werewolf.\n\n“Flash! Get out of here!” CB6 swung his arm towards the nearby door, a small ice dagger forming in the opposite hand as he readied himself to fight.\n\nFlash ignored him and stared down the snarling wolf as she got closer. “Dizzy please don’t do this. I know we just met but you can’t want to do this can you?”\n\nThe wolf paused with her teeth still bared but now in silence as Flash continued to speak. “I know it might not mean much but I liked the little time we spent together, even if you were sent to get me I don’t think you want this, please stop,” Flash was crying now but he kept his face rigid.\n\nOopsy stared back at Flash Heart and her eyes became more alive. The door to the stairs blasting open made them all turn as a pair of fixed ideas appeared, one with a rocket launcher.\n\n“Get down!” CB6 charged at the fixed ideas, managing to stab the one with the launcher in the shoulder which made it drop the weapon as he drew the sustenance out to drink and kicked the other away. Oopsy jumped at Flash, who just shut his eyes expecting to be torn apart but instead she grabbed his shirt in her teeth and jumped off the balcony down to the floor.\n\n“Yeah! Get him!” Jose shouted, remembering how Flash had foiled his theft all too well.\n\n“NO!” Tarot Heart managed to swing around and bite the arm of the fixed idea that held him. Despite his youth he was still a bear and the bite made the monster drop Tarot Heart right as Oopsy hit the ground and jumped on to the stage in front of the weapon’s pile. Tarot Heart bolted for the stage and froze as he saw Oopsy the werewolf set Flash down and lean in close, sniffing him.\n\n“Fl-Flash?” Oopsy’s voice was a guttural growl as she stared at him.\n\n“What are you waiting for?! Kill him!” Jose shouted.\n\n“Not today!” CB6 hurled an ice spear through the fixed idea that had held Tarot hostage then crashed down on its back, managing to draw out its sustenance as he jumped towards the stage and landed next to Tarot Heart. He drew the green fluid into his mouth and drank it down, ready to attack when the werewolf might attack his kids.\n\nTime seemed to hang still for everyone as Oopsy sniffed again, then smiled and licked Flash’s face, “Flash Heart,” she croaked out.\n\n“Dizzy!” Flash smiled. CB6 and Tarot Heart both gave a huge sigh of relief.\n\nJose was hopping up and down in place, practically pulling his hair out, “Stupid traitor! Get them, you worthless mutants! Kill them!”\n\nA clang from overhead drew everyone’s attention. The second fixed idea that had gone up to the balcony had retrieved the dropped rocket launcher which was now aimed at the stage, and all the munitions.\n\n“NO! DON’T SHOOT THAT!” Jose’s order came too late as the fixed idea pulled the trigger.\n\nCB6 grabbed Tarot and Oopsy snatched Flash up and both jumped up to the second balcony by the time the rocket had launched and everyone on the ground floor bolted for the exits.\n\nCB6 and Oopsy were barely out the window when the explosion ripped through the old theater but neither stopped while carrying their passengers until they were far from the structure as a huge hole was blown in the side and the rest of the building slowly collapsed.\n\nSomehow, Jose and most of the men that had been inside managed to escape. One was coughing from the debris of the explosion and got up, “Fuck this! If this is how Jose runs things than I’m out, let’s go Joe,” he motioned for his lackey who just nodded as they left.\n\nJose was covered in splinters and debris and he stomped his foot as he watched his now former underbosses leaving, “Get back here! You work for me now!” his ranting was ignored as the couple remaining fixed ideas climbed out of the wreckage. Jose turned to them with a very sour look on his face, “They’ll be sorry, all of them will be sorry!”\n\nOoOoO\n\nOopsy had changed back to normal by the next morning and she sat on the couch, just wearing a towel over her body. Flash and Tarot were still asleep so Soul Heart only offered her some water to drink.\n\n“Thank you,” Oopsy whispered before she took a drink, “Why are you going so nice to me?”\n\n“Because we’re the same,” Soul Heart said, “Both products of Von Reichter’s experiments.”\n\nOopsy just nodded, “So he grabbed you of the street too?”\n\n“No, he grew me in a pod. What do you mean off the street?” Soul Heart was intrigued.\n\n“Well I was living in a shelter, still going to school when he pulled me in, did stuff to me, made me into… this…” She looked down at her trembling hand, “Gave me that green stuff you drank, it was good and I didn’t need to sleep or eat anything anymore but now.” She shuddered.\n\n“That’s good news at least, maybe, how long have you been on the sustenance?”\n\n“A week or so, this was all so recent…” Oopsy shuddered again.\n\n“Well if you start eating and drinking correctly you might be able to break your dependence on it, not me,” Soul Heart touched her chest, “He made me so I can’t survive without it. Was that why your werewolf form changed? You looked more bestial last night.”\n\n“I felt wilder and more monstrous,” Oopsy drew her legs up to her chest, “I felt so powerful but so… dead inside too, sick but not sick… I mean…”\n\nSoul Heart got up then sat down next to her, “I understand, I can help you through this.”\n\n“No!” Oopsy shook her head violently, “I can’t stay here, he’ll find me and you! And Flash and Tarot too!” Oopsy flung the towel off and stood up, “I have to go before he finds out!” She ran to the window nearby.\n\nSoul Heart was up on her feet and bolted to Oopsy’s side in an instant, “Where are you going?”\n\n“Somewhere I can be safe and get better, maybe break this darkness in me,” Oopsy was crying as she opened the window, “I’ll miss all of you but I need to get away until I’m better. I’m sorry.”\n\n“I understand,” Soul Heart sighed. She wanted to try and convince Oopsy to stay but even as she thought of that she knew it couldn’t work, if she was near a source of sustenance like the fixed ideas then Oopsy could too easily fall back into the habits.\n\nAs Oopsy started to grow into her black werewolf form again she said, “Tell Flash and Tarot Heart I’m sorry.” A moment later the large misshapen black werewolf jumped out of the window and across the rooftops in the early morning light.\n\n“Mom, what was that?” Tarot Heart had gotten up in time to see the black form jump out the window.\n\nSoul Heart turned and sighed sadly, “Oopsy left, she couldn’t stay.”\n\nTarot Heart walked to the window and peered out, too late to see Oopsy. “I know we’ll see her again.”\n\n“You can predict that?” Soul Heart stood next to her youngest son.\n\nOopsy smiled and touched his chest, “No, but I just know we will.”", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "
Chapter 2: Friends or Foes


Flash was barely conscious by the time he and Soul Heart got back to her apartment and he stumbled to the bedroom, shedding his clothes on the way. Soul Heart rolled her eyes and picked up the teenaged bear’s clothes until he practically collapsed into the bed.

“Want me to tell you everything?” Soul Heart was putting the clothes away, only to see Flash had already fallen asleep. She smiled and pulled the covers up to his neck, “Sleep tight then, I’ll tell you at breakfast.”

Flash Heart woke up the next day feeling grimy and gross despite sleeping in a comfortable bed. He stumbled towards the bathroom and did something he’d been wanting to do for ages, took a shower. That was enough to wake him up and jog his memory as he stepped out to find Soul Heart having set out a bowl of cereal for him.

“Good morning, sleep well?” Soul Heart smiled.

“Yeah, I mean considering…” Flash Heart was hungry enough to start eating without saying anything until he was finished the first bowl, “So what’s going on? I mean, CB6, big Frankensteins, that little brat, you drinking that green stuff and Von Reichter?”

Soul Heart sighed, having hoped Flash Heart would dismiss it as a dream if only because of how much she’d have to explain. “It’s very long story.” She took a drink of water, “First I should tell you that I don’t need to eat or sleep, just drink some water to keep hydrated, I get all the nourishment I need from that green liquid, called sustenance. As for everything, I guess I’ll start back as far as I can remember.”

Flash Heart poured himself another bowl of cereal as he listened.

“My creator is a man who goes by the name Doctor Von Reichter. He used to call himself Professor Cold Heart and before that… I think his name was Joseph. I don’t know his whole history but I heard him rant about having to use ‘rat lines’ to escape punishment and fake his death and ‘being reduced to a stupid grudge’ against ‘fuzzy wuzzies’.”

Flash Heart nearly choked, laughing at the term used and Soul Heart waited until he stopped coughing to continue.

“I think that was what he called the Care Bears, creatures like us he had a grudge against, maybe still does. I am the last of the CBs, I don’t know what it means but we were supposed to be spies and infiltrators, to sneak into the Care Bear Family and given minor shapeshifting powers so we could pick our own appearance and even some abilities we could use to fight them, like my hydro and cryokinesis. But he got something wrong, or rather he got something too right because we were too much like the Care Bears, too kind, too caring and too unwilling to take his orders and I heard him ranting one day about how stupid he’d been to let an obsession and a faulty body cloud his judgement. We were planning to escape but before we could he exterminated us. My nine siblings were all killed and I only escaped because I had been the first out into the river we planned to swim out of. I heard them scream but I had to keep going…” She reached up to wiped some tears that had formed in her eyes, then stared at the drops on her fur.

“That’s… I’m sorry…” Flash had finished his second bowl and now just sat there. “Then what?”

“I don’t know, I managed to come here without being seen since this is the only place someone like me can blend in,” she smiled, “it was fine for a while, then the spasms started. You know that green sustenance I drank? Without it I can’t survive. It’s how Von Reichter ensured our loyalty so we would be dependent on him. I just got lucky that this is where he’s decided to start his operations again because I need to steal the sustenance from his other creations to survive, and I have to be careful about it because not only do I need to keep getting more but the more I use my special abilities the more I drain. I have to go out every night not just to stop what Von Reichter is doing but to keep myself alive.” Soul Heart sat down across from Flash who had finished his second bowl.

Flash just sat there, taking in everything he had heard, “So, now what?”

“Now I have to get ready for work and unless you want to stay here with nothing to do all day you’re still coming with me.” Soul Heart stood up again, “This weekend I need to buy more things for the apartment, like a working TV, and get you enrolled in school.”

“Ugg,” Flash groaned, “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Soul Heart said as they were heading out, “It’s not for a couple weeks but you need to go once you get settled in, alright?”

“Fine…” Flash Heart grumbled but after all she had done for him already, he wasn’t really going to complain. “Are you a boy or a girl?”

“What?” Soul Heart stopped.

“I mean you look like a girl now but when you’re CB6 you look like a guy so what are you?”

Soul Heart had to think for a moment, “I’m both, I think the term is genderfluid. I feel very… nurturing as Soul Heart so I feel like a woman and when I’m out fighting Von Reichter’s monsters I feel like I need to present an air of strength so I feel like being a man, I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“Me either,” Flash Heart chuckled half-heartedly as they left the building.

OoOoO

Four weeks later: Jose was in his office, standing on Frostbite’s shoulders to look at a map of the city, when the giant portrait flashed as Von Reichter called. Jose was startled enough to fall off Frostbite with a yelp.

“Father!” he scrambled to stand up and face the giant screen, “What did you need?”

“Just a simple check-in and an update. What are your plans, Jose?” Von Reichter tapped his fingers together.

“Oh, I know you’ll love this,” Jose grinned then goose stepped over to the map. He pointed up at where he had marked several locations with a red X, “These are the hubs of underworld activity in Meridiana, I’m going to take them over.”

“And create a network of information, and ideal places to install Tecnos,” Von Reichter offered a sinister smile.

“Exactly, and stockpiling weapons and money,” Jose rubbed his hands together.

“Yes yes,” Von Reichter settled back to his usual scowl, “And what is the word on CB6?”

“He’s been… going after the fixed ideas but so far he hasn’t caught on to this plan.” Jose became visibly nervous.

“So I see,” Von Reichter frowned, “do you have anything to report about where it might be?”

“Ooh! Ooh ooh ooh ooh!” Frostbite waved his hand, “I remember! There’s this yellow bear! A kid! He stole the keys when we kidnapped the printers!”

“A yellow bear? Is this true?” Von Reichter turned his attention from Frostbite back to Jose.

Jose stomped a foot, “Yes! That little brat threw the truck keys into the ocean!”

“Then I have just the thing. I will send it over to befriend him and he will lead us to CB6, or perhaps just kill him, either way a success. Continue with the operations, Jose,” the screen shut off.

OoOoO

CB6 crouched on a rooftop, watching a fixed idea peek out from a door the squeeze out and walk down an alley.

“What are you up to, Jose?” he whispered, his eyes still locked on the monster.

The sound of scraping on a nearby rooftop and a growl from nearby drew CB6’s attention and he jumped aside barely in time to avoid a pounce from a wolf-like monster. It snarled at him and he kicked out at it only for it to dodge away. CB6 was about to conjure a spear of ice when the wolf monster suddenly took off, its black fur making it nearly impossible to see in the dark.

CB6 checked over the building ledge only to see an empty alleyway, “Damn, too late. No sustenance tonight or finding out what Jose is up to,” the sun was just starting to rise as he made a beeline for home.

CB6 arrived home through his window as the sun was rising and heard the shower running. By the time Flash Heart was out and dressed CB6 had changed back to Soul Heart Bear and was rather flustered.

“Late night?” Flash Heart asked.

“Yes, sorry no time to make breakfast!” Soul Heart was hurriedly dressing for work.

Flash Heart rolled his eyes, “I’m good,” he pulled out the new toaster she’d bought before school started, “Thanks though.” He munched on peanut butter on toast and washed it down with a glass of water, “See ya after school, mom!” he shouted as he ran out, grabbing his backpack as he ran.

Soul Heart froze as the door slammed behind him, “Mom? He called me mom?” She put a hand over her chest as a tear came to her eye, the wiped the tear away, “Why am I crying? I don’t have a heart but… I feel,” she smiled as she cried, only barely managing to get herself under control before she left for work, still smiling the whole way.

Flash Heart hadn’t even registered what he had said as he walked to school. The street had felt oddly empty ever since Soul Heart took him in and he still couldn’t quite place why.

“Want me to tell your fortune?” the voice startled Flash and he stopped to look down at the source: a black bear like himself but maybe about ten years old and wearing the same kind of raggedy clothes Flash wore while he lived on the street; despite his circumstance he was smiling and shuffling a deck of tarot cards that were frayed but still complete and next to him a small hat partly full of change.

“Umm not right now, I’m gonna be late for school. Will you be here later um…?” Flash was fidgeting, fighting the urge to stay and talk and the need to get to school on time.

“Tarot Heart,” the young bear replied, “and I’ll be here if I don’t get chased off.”

“OK, Tarot, gotta go!” Flash Heart started jogging away as he heard Tarot Heart asking more passers-by if they wanted their fortunes told. It wasn’t until he reached the front of the school that Flash Heart realized what was missing from the street: the homeless. When had lived on the streets he had known a number of other homeless people who had to scrape by like he had but for a week or so before he met Soul Heart they had all but vanished, the same time a lot of the water went bad-.

*CRASH!*

Flash Heart ran right into another student and knocked them to the ground.

“Oopsy, sorry,” the high-pitched voice came from a neon green bear with long messy hair and wearing a baggy sweater and pants, “I should look where I’m going.”

“Sorry!” Flash immediately reached down to help them up, “I should have too.”

The green bear smiled, “Thanks, umm what’s your name?”

“Flash Heart Bear,” he checked to make sure he hadn’t dropped anything, “and you?”

The green bear scratched the back of their head, “Well everyone calls me Oopsy because I was always so clumsy but-” the sound of the 5-minute warning bell interrupted the conversation and Oopsy’s blue eyes went wide and they took off, saying they couldn’t be late for class. Flash too had to make a mad dash for his first class of the day.

Flash was still trying to get the hang of being in school, mostly trying to socialize with the other students. He wasn’t sure how to approach anyone, human or animal, and recognized a few of them from when they had gone to the library; he had been surprised that his English teacher was a brown lynx. He even saw Oopsy in a couple of his classes but wasn’t sure how to approach anyone.

It didn’t help that he had a lot of catch-up work to do if he wanted to stay in grade 11 and he spent lunch doing homework so he wouldn’t have to do any at home. Oopsy seemed to want to approach him but backed away to go eat in a corner of the lunch room instead. Flash didn’t even notice.

OoOoO

Soul Heart was practically at work the whole day, seeming to be in a happy trance until lunch time.

“Hey, Soul Heart.”

She turned to see Lucas Amato at the returns and renews desk and rolled her eyes while still smiling, “Here to renew your class books again?”

“Yeah, and I was hoping we could eat lunch,” Lucas laughed nervously.

Soul Heart checked the clock, “Didn’t realize it was that late already, sure.” She called for someone to replace her and left with Lucas.

“I’m surprised, I didn’t think you’d take it,” Lucas said as they stepped outside.

“Well I just feel good today,” Soul Heart was still smiling, “Have you been wanting to ask me out?”

“Well maybe, I mean you’ve been a big help with the books so I just felt like treating you,” Lucas led her to a small café that was relatively well upkept.

“I’ve never been here before, usually I just go to a fast-food place,” Soul Heart sat down.

“It’s good food. I eat here all the time. So what will you have?” Lucas sat down across from her.

Soul Heart looked at the menu, feeling bad that she had to waste food, “Just a ham sandwich, I don’t eat much.”

“I get it, smaller body means you need to eat less,” Lucas ordered their lunches then sat back down as they waited.

“Why do you say that?” Soul Heart gulped slightly.

“Basic rule of biology and the square-cube law. Reducing or increasing the height of a living creature has a more drastic effect on its weight and the amount of food it needs to consume.” Lucas rattled off the facts like he was back in front of his class.

“You’re a biologist?” Soul Heart was eager to change the subject.

“That’s what I’d like to do, but it doesn’t pay the bills so I need to teach too. Not that I mind but it’s just not my passion.” Lucas got up to get their food once he saw it was ready.

Soul Heart watched as he retrieved their food, “So… how is my son doing in school?”

“Flash Heart? He’s doing well. Got some catching up to do but he’ll be up to speed by the end of the month,” Lucas sat down with their food, “your son huh?”

Soul Heart looked up with a faraway smile in her eyes, “He called me mom for the first time today, I wasn’t sure before but now I am.” She looked at the simple sandwich in front of her, then picked it up to take a bite.

Lucas took several mouthfuls of soup and bit into his own sandwich before he asked, “So why did you end up at the library?”

Soul Heart swallowed her mouthful, “I like to read,” was the only answer she could give before she went back to her lunch.

Lucas and Soul Heart parted ways before she returned to the library and she excused herself to the bathroom before she went back to her shift. She had to lock the door behind her in the one-stall woman’s room before she went to the toilet, took several deep breaths then deliberately vomited up the chewed up but undigested remains of the sandwich and flushed them down the toilet. She had to take a breather after that and catch her breath before rinsing out her mouth.

She truly didn’t need to eat and while this didn’t drain any sustenance it still grossed her out. She could fake eating and swallow stuff but other than water she just had to hold the chewed-up food in a hollow inside her body where it would sit until she could puke it back up like she just did before it started to go bad since it wouldn’t digest. She washed her face and sighed, staring at her face in the mirror, “I need to keep pretending, for Flash’s sake if not my own.” She sighed, cleaned up and went back to work, stopping for a drink of water first.

OoOoO

Flash Heart was only too relieved when school was out for the day and he hurried out the door, almost crashing into Oopsy again but not noticing even as his name was called. Oopsy sighed and slunk away.

Flash only slowed down when he reached the street where he had met Tarot Heart on his way to school and smiled when he saw the young black bear there, still telling fortunes but now with a much fuller cap.

Tarot Heart smiled as he saw Flash approach and waved, “Hi, want to hear your fortune now?”

“No thanks,” Flash stopped in front of him. “but I was wondering if you’d like to come home with me, go someplace you could have a good meal and maybe stay over.” He didn’t know why he was offering so suddenly for someone he barely met but probably because he felt sorry for him, living on the streets and probably alone.

Tarot Heart brightened up, “Really! I’d like too…” his face suddenly fell as he gathered up his tarot cards, “but I can’t, I’m sorry.” He picked up the hat full of change.

“Why not?” Flash was concerned.

“I just can’t!” Tarot Heart took off, heading down an alley. Flash reached out for him but didn’t follow. He wanted to chase him, try to find out what was wrong, but instead turned and headed for home.

First thing Flash did was his homework, if only so he wouldn’t have Soul Heart demanding that he do it once she got home. He turned on the TV to watch some after-school shows in the background.

He sighed and sat back on the couch as he finished his math, wondering about his encounters with Tarot Heart and Oopsy Bear, then his mind wandered back to his homework as he opened his science textbook to answer the questions Mr. Amato had given them that night.

He was just finishing up when Soul Heart came home, more groceries in her hands since she couldn’t risk showing off her strength by buying too much in one day.

“How was school, Flash?” she asked as she put a jar of pickles in the fridge.

“It was fine, mom, just more work,” he sighed as he closed his last textbook, “Homework’s done.”

Soul Heart smiled but didn’t say anything, to the point that Flash Heart looked over at her, “What?”

“You called me mom, just like this morning,” Soul Heart said as she finished putting the food away.

Flash Heart felt embarrassed, “Yeah umm… because you’re nice to me and…” he wanted to try and get out of this but after seeing Soul Heart smile he sighed, “Yeah you’re my mom.”

Soul Heart sat down next to him and gave him a hug, “And I’m happy to be your mom.”

Flash Heart blushed from embarrassment until something that he had been thinking about finally came back to the front of his mind. “Mom, do you know what happened to all the homeless people?”

Soul Heart let him go, “What?”

“There were more homeless people around when I lived on the street but… they seem to be all be gone now…”

Soul Heart sighed and stood up, “I do and I wish I had been able to stop it. A couple months ago, while I was still settling in, Von Reichter’s agents poisoned a lot of the water sources around the city. Nothing in people’s homes or public buildings but places outside where people without homes would have to drink.”

“Yeah, the water got bad, that’s why I almost died,” Flash Heart fidgeted nervously, “What happened?”

“It wasn’t so bad that you’d drop dead in a moment but it would build up if you drank it a lot and most people could just drink safely at home. I wasn’t ready to fight the Fixed Ideas yet but I saw that after drinking enough of it the people would just collapse, not sure if they were dead or just unconscious. Then the Fixed Ideas came around and took them away. I don’t know what happened to them after that.” Soul Heart had been pacing as she spoke and now turned to her adopted son, “Why did you want to know?”

“I met this homeless bear kid named Tarot Heart today, he was reading fortunes for money and… I wanted to know if he could come home here with me, like as a little brother,” Flash Heart realized how foolish he sounded even as he said it.

Soul Heart sighed, “Maybe. It’s nice that you want to help but I’m not sure how I can handle taking care of two children, especially one who wouldn’t be old enough to be home alone even if you look after him. I’ll have to think about it but for now I just need to get supper ready and you need to get some sleep. I need to find out what Jose is up to lately.”

Flash Heart sighed, “Fine,” he wasn’t surprised so he just turned to the TV to relax while he waited for supper.

OoOoO

CB6 was out that night staying hot on the trail of a fixed idea to another of Jose’s ventures. He crouched at a rooftop edge as he watched the fixed idea check around before entering a door. “Got ya,” he was about to jump down when he heard a growl nearby. CB6 barely dodged aside as the wolf monster dropped, claws extended in such a way that would have severely maimed him had he not moved.

CB6 rounded on the creature, getting a good look at it in the moonlight for the first time: it was a huge black wolf, almost twice CB6’s height, was obviously female with its lithe figure and fur-covered breasts, had fierce yellow eyes and shaggy neon-green hair. Most importantly were its long teeth as he snarled at CB6 then pounced again. CB6 barely dodged aside and created a thin sheet ice on the roof but that did little to slow down the werewolf as its claws easily gripped the ice then pounced at CB6 again which forced him over the side of the building and to the street.

The mob boss heard the noise outside and stood up, pointing to one of his subordinates, “Joe, go check that out now!”

The order was about to be carried out when the door to the office burst open and two fixed ideas forced their way in, followed by Frostbite and Jose, who goose-stepped in with a smug look on his face

“What the hell’s going one?!” the boss demanded.

Jose just gave an evil grin, “Your organization belongs to me now!”

“Yeah right!” The man who had been ordered tried to charge Jose, only to be grabbed by a fixed idea and slammed into the wall nearby. Everyone watched his body slide to the ground.

“Any other objections?” Jose goose-stepped up to the desk and hopped up, the boss sat back down in shock and weakly shook his head as Jose leaned over him.

“Good,” Jose turned around and spread his arms, “I’m going to rule the underworld!” he pointed to the fallen but still alive man who had tried to charge him, “Take care of him for me, Frostbite.”

“Duh, ok!” Frostbite easily picked up the severely injured man and carried him out the door.

Outside, Frostbite ignored the sounds of a fight as CB6 hit the street hard and had to roll out of the way as the werewolf struck down where he had been a moment ago. It rounded on CB6 as he tried to stand and pounced, only to get punched in the gut as CB6 threw an uppercut then jumped back as it staggered. He didn’t notice Frostbite escaping, too focused on fighting for his life and had to duck under another snap from the werewolf’s jaw then strike out at its chest, just barely missing.

The two of them began to trade blows, each seeking a killing strike but neither able to land one as they jumped back up to the rooftops until, without warning, the wolf stopped mid strike, its arm pulled back for a punch.

CB6 stood there and watched; if he had normal lungs he’d be panting at this point. The wolf shuddered then turned and leapt from roof to roof, escaping into the night.

“Another one of Von Reichter’s experiments,” CB6 relaxed then snapped his head right as he heard a door opening nearby then darted over to see what it was.

By a stroke of luck he caught the last two fixed ideas as they were leaving the meeting place. CB6 cracked his knuckles, “I need a refill,” then jumped down on them before they could look up. Once he had finished them off and drank their sustenance, CB6 hurried back home. Not much closer to being on to Jose’s plan, hopefully he’d have a better lead tomorrow night.

OoOoO

Flash Heart was running late the next day and he barely had time to drink his cereal straight from the bowl and say goodbye to Soul Heart before he was out the door. Despite his haste, Flash still slowed down where Tarot Heart had been yesterday if only to talk for a minute but he wasn’t there so Flash had to start running again.

He was panting by the time he got to class and absolutely crashed into his first period chair; he barely had time to look around for Oopsy before class started.

Fortunately, Oopsy found him at lunch.

“Can I sit here, please?”

Flash Heart turned and gaped. Oopsy had clearly had more time to dress herself this morning, she wore a lavender skirt and white blouse that was much less baggy than her shirt the previous day had been which showed her bust through the fabric and her formerly shaggy hair of hair had been brushed back and tied in a short braid.

“Sure,” Flash scooted sideways to give her more room, “you’re a girl?” Was all he could say, dumbly.

Oopsy giggled, “Did you think I was a guy?”

“I didn’t know, only ran into you for a minute,” Flash realized he was staring and turned back to his lunch.

“It’s fine,” Oopsy opened her lunch and dug in.

Flash finished all too fast and was somewhat stumped for conversation, “So… you say everyone calls you Oopsy, but is that your real name?”

Oopsy shook her head and swallowed, “No, my real name is Dizzy Bear, but you can call me Oopsy, I don’t mind.”

“That’s a cute name, like you,” Flash blushed but didn’t retract.

“Thanks,” Oopsy giggled.

“So uhh… want to hang out after school? We could go to the library,” Flash fought the urge to avert his gaze from her.

“I’d love to,” she leaned over and nuzzled Flash’s cheek.

“What?” Flash blinked.

“Sorry, too much?” Oopsy turned and leaned forwards slightly. Was she flirting with him?

“Not really,” Flash cleared his throat, “Thank you. See you after school, want to get my homework done,” he hastily gathered up his lunch and books then bolted while Oopsy, or Dizzy, watched him go with a serious grin on her face before she returned to her lunch.

Flash was panting as he made it to the small school library to work in peace, despite being distracted by Oopsy’s flirtation, or should he call her Dizzy? He’d decide later. If he wanted to just hang out after school he’d have to finish his math.

Flash and Oopsy met up after school and headed for the library but at an intersection Flash turned and saw Tarot Heart sitting up against a building. “Wait!” Flash Heart stopped Oopsy from going too far.

“What?” Oopsy didn’t have any time to object before Flash took off towards where Tarot was just finishing up a reading for a passer-by.

The black bear cub was startled when Flash slowed to a stop in front of him, “Flash! I…” his voice trembled, “I thought you wouldn’t find me,” he sounded unsure if he wanted that to happen or not.

“I missed you, wanted to know if you thought about what I asked before,” Flash panted slightly as Oopsy caught up to him, and she wasn’t even winded.

“I… I…” Tarot looked away from Flash to see Oopsy, not sure how to explain himself. His found himself staring into the hard eyes of the green girl bear. “You,” he said quietly.

“What? Me?” Oopsy’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Tarot Heart stood up, his eyes still on Oopsy Bear, “You don’t have to-”

“Hey, whaddya doing!” the shout made Tarot freeze as his fur stood on end as he slowly turned to see a fat adult human man lumbering down the street towards him. His voice was high and reedy and he sounded like he was perpetually congested, “I told ya to stop the stupid card tricks and go back to getting wallets!” He grabbed Tarot by the shirt and lifted him off the ground.

“I-I can’t!” Tarot Heart was shaking I the man’s grip, too scared to even struggle, “I felt… I mean I-”

“No more excuses!” He threw Tarot Heart on the ground, “If you don’t get one today then-”

“You won’t do anything!” Flash Heart had been too stunned to react at first but now he stood between the man and Tarot Heart, fists clenched.

“Get outta my way! I own that boy and he owes me for keeping him off the street!” He tried to push Flash Heart aside.

Despite his short stature, Flash Heart was still a bear and he managed to grab the man’s arm to stop from being brushed aside, “Fuck you!” He growled, “It doesn’t matter if you ‘saved’ him from the street if you treat him like that! Get the fuck out of here!”

“No kid treats me like that!” He raised his fist to strike Flash Heart, but Flash threw the first punch, hitting him right in his oversized gut.

“No, stop!” Tarot pleaded, but the brawl had already started as the black bear got back to his feet. Flash took a hit to the face but stayed standing despite the pain, learning from when he had to brawl on the streets to survive but despite how slow the boss was all that fat meant Flash couldn’t inflict any damage.

On reflex, Tarot ran to Oopsy Bear and latched onto her tearing up and hoping she could protect him. She glared at Tarot Heart and almost reflexively shoved him away, then a spark shot through her body and her eyes widened as she felt him shaking and scared. She put her hands on his shoulders and watched Flash Heart’s fight for a minute before gently pushing Tarot back.

When Tarot’s ‘boss’ overextended on a punch Oopsy darted in and kicked at his legs with surprising strength which sent him sprawling. Flash smiled at Oopsy then turned to the man as he struggled to stand.

“Leave Tarot Heart alone,” was all Flash said.

The man finally stood up and glared at Tarot Heart, “You’ll be back when you get hungry enough, and if you don’t have something for me you won’t get to eat!” he stumbled away.

Flash let out a sigh of relief, “Thanks for the help, Dizzy.”

“You’re welcome,” Oopsy sighed too, only now realizing she was trembling.

Flash’s attention was drawn to Tarot Heart as he had started crying, having sunk down to his knees and shaking all over. Flash was as his side, crouched down and giving the younger bear a hug, “Hey, it’s ok now. He’s gone.”

“B-but, I don’t h-have anywhere to go,” Tarot Heart hugged Flash back, “What am I g-gonna do?!” he sobbed.

“You can stay with me and mom.” Tarot Heart looked up through his now bloodshot eyes at the yellow bear, who just smiled back, “Yeah, you can stay with us and be my little brother. We just have to tell her.”

“R-really?” Tarot Heart sniffed again.

“Yeah,” Flash turned to Oopsy, “still want to come to the library with us?”

Oopsy had been standing there, watching the display and feeling her heart melt. It shouldn’t have been that way yet now she couldn’t help but get emotional at the sight. She shook her head to clear the fog, “I’m sorry, Flash, but I have somewhere to be,” she clutched at the middle of her chest.

“What, where?” Flash stood up and helped Tarot to his feet.

“I’m sorry!” Oopsy shouted then suddenly turned and darted away and around a corner. The small crowd of onlookers that had stopped to watch once Tarot’s boss showed up started to disperse now that the drama seemed to be over.

Flash Heart sighed sadly and took Tarot’s hand, “Let’s go, I want mom to meet you before we go home.”

Tarot Heart wiped his eyes and tried to smile, “thank you, Flash Heart.”

Oopsy Bear hid down an alley still clutching her chest. It hurt badly at first but now it was a good hurt? Was that even right? She was just supposed to get close to Flash but once Tarot touched her something broke inside her, something oppressive and painful and now emotions she thought she didn’t want to feel flowed freely inside her, and yet she wanted to keep feeling them even as things kept going. She shook her head, smoothed out her clothes then walked away with Tarot’s Heart’s words ringing in her head.

“You don’t have to.”

OoOoO

“Hello, Flash- oh my god! What happened?” Soul Heart forgot herself for a moment and vaulted over the return’s desk as Flash Heart and Tarot Heart entered the library, Flash’s eye starting to swell shut.

Flash did his best to smile but winced at the pain, “Just a little disagreement with Tarot Heart’s boss.”

“What?” Soul Heart stared at him, then quickly called for someone to cover her break and pulled them to the library’s break room.

Lacking a real ice pack Soul Heart wrapped up some ice cubes from the freezer in paper towels and gave it to Flash to hold to his eye as he explained what happened.

Soul Heart turned to Tarot Heart who was sitting still and silent in a nearby chair. “Why were you with that man?”

“He… he took me off the street, me and other kids, made us steal stuff for him, but the others disappeared so he made me do more stuff, but I could feel things,” he held his head in one hand, “If I stole a wallet I could feel how it made people mad or scared so I couldn’t do it any more. I tried to just tell fortunes to earn money but it was never enough,” Tarot Heart was crying now, “Now I-I can’t go back, I…I…”

Flash Heart looked at Soul Heart and, with his one free eye, pleaded with her. Soul Heart sighed but smiled, “You can live with us, Tarot Heart.”

“R-really?” Tarot Heart’s eye shone with hope.

“Yes, just stay here and rest and I’ll take you home when I’m done for the day,” Soul Heart left to return to her shift.

Tarot Heart wiped his eyes clean of tears and turned to Flash, “Does she mean it?”

“Yep, ow!” Flash winced as he felt his eye throb under the ice, “I promise you’ll like it there.”

“So… what do I have to do?” Tarot suddenly became nervous.

“Nothing, well maybe go to school but we’re not going to make you work,” Flash Heart said. He finally pulled the ice away from his eye as it was half melted by now, “I just gotta wait for this black eye to go away.”

Tarot Heart nodded, “Sorry.”

“It’s fine, I think its worth it,” Flash Heart sighed, “Just wait till we get home.”

OoOoO

Much like Flash Heart, Tarot Heart was amazed at the apartment despite how simply furnished it was. The younger bear practically flung himself on the couch and giggled as he felt how much softer it felt than anywhere else he could sit or lie down before. Flash Heart had a black eye, still visible through his fur, and he sat down next to Flash.

“Feels nice, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Tarot Heart rolled over so he could look at Flash, “but what if my boss comes back.”

“Don’t worry,” Flash nodded to Soul Heart, who was in the kitchen area, “Mom will keep us safe, she’s a superhero.”

“Really?” Tarot Heart sat up.

“I wouldn’t call myself that, but I promise he won’t come back for you,” Soul Heart nodded, “And yes I can do extraordinary things, but I’ll explain after supper. Does beef stew sound good?” she pulled a couple cans of the stew down.

“Sounds great!” Tarot Heart lit up.

When they sat down Tarot Heart noticed that all Soul Heart had was water, “Don’t you have to eat?”

“Oh, no because…” Soul Heart wasn’t sure about telling someone so young about her whole history.

“Is it because of the green stuff you need to drink?” Tarot Heart’s question made them both jump.

Tarot Heart shrank back in on himself as he realized he’d said too much, “sorry.”

“How’d you know that?” Soul Heart asked.

“I can see things, in my head,” Tarot Heart tapped the side of his head, “Sometimes I see what’s going to happen with my tarot cards,” he pulled out the deck of cards he used for fortune telling, “and sometimes I see stuff from inside their head, and I can’t help talking about it.”

“You’re psychic?” Flash Heart was surprised. Tarot just nodded.

“Von Reichter experimented for that sort of thing but never made any progress,” Soul Heart sighed in relief, “did you boss know?”

“Maybe… it’s how I could steal stuff so well, and why I stopped, I didn’t like hearing how they felt when they found their wallets missing,” Tarot Heart confessed.

“That might be a lead, I’ll look into your boss tonight. Can you tell me where I can find him? You don’t have to if it hurts too much,” Soul Heart hastily added at the end.

“I can,” Tarot Heart pushed his half-empty bowl aside and started shuffling the tarot cards, “Just give me a minute…”

It took a while for Soul Heart to interpret what Tarot showed her and by then supper was done and the sun was setting.

Tarot Heart watched in awe as Soul Heart shifted into CB6 finishing off by putting the fake glasses on.

“I need to investigate this,” CB6 opened the window and stepped onto the ledge, “Flash, look after Tarot Heart, I don’t want Von Reichter or Jose finding out what he can do.” Without another word he jumped out the window.

Tarot ran to the ledge to watch CB6 take off into the fading light. He was about to step back when a powerful headache overtook his mind and he grabbed the sides of his head. “No!”

Flash was at his side in an instant, catching his new little brother as he lost his footing, “What’s wrong, Tarot Heart?”

The black bear steadied himself as his eyes went wide, seeing the sights flash in front of his eyes, “We have to go, she’s in trouble!”

“Who, mom? I mean CB6?” Flash looked out where he had disappeared into the night.

“No! Oopsy!” Tarot was about to jump out the window but Flash held him back. Tarot looked back at Flash, feeling betrayed, “Don’t you want to help her?”

“Yes, but let’s take the stairs instead of splattering ourselves on the street,” Flash pointed to the apartment door.

Tarot felt a bit embarrassed but nodded and closed the window before they both headed out.

OoOoO

It was an old abandoned theater, not condemned but no longer in regular use. CB6 stood on the closest nearby building where she saw people gathering in the dead of night.

“Alright, Jose, time to see what you little plan is all about,” as soon as the last group disappeared inside CB6 jumped over and in through one of the windows.

Flash and Tarot weren’t far behind with Tarot leading the way. From the alley where they were hiding the building looked unoccupied.

“Alright let’s g- what?” Flash was about to run for the door when he saw Oopsy Bear approaching. She walked hurriedly towards the door and opened it, vanishing inside without a word.

“Dizzy?” Flash whispered. “Why are you here?”

“She has to be but doesn’t want to,” Tarot Heart broke cover and bolted for the door. Flash Heart had to bite his tongue before he shouted out for him then took off after Tarot Heart. The younger bear opened the door quietly and thankfully there were no guards there, instead he was greeted by a wonderful smell.

“Tarot!” Flash hissed, “Why… why…” Flash sniffed to. Chicken, Ham, potatoes, it smelled like a thanksgiving buffet and it was nearby! Both felt their mouths water, they weren’t ungrateful for the food their new mom provided but one could hardly blame then for salivating at the smell of foods they never had the chance to taste before.

 Flash Heart shook his head, “We gotta find Dizzy,” he did his best to ignore the smells.

“But it smells so good,” Tarot whimpered.

“I know, but I need to know why she’s here,” Flash had to drag Tarot Heart a couple steps before he willingly followed.

OoOoO

Jose watched the weapons and munitions piling up on the main theatre stage with a sinister grin: rifles, SMGs, RPGs, rocket launchers and ammo aplenty all gathered from the underworld organizations solidified under his control and being piled up by the fixed ideas.

Joe, the man who had been smashed by one of his guards, had returned to his boss’s side, he and the other former heads of the underworld were now cowed under Jose’s command. The boss was relieved that at least his henchman had been returned and apparently so were all of the others as Jose had done the same thing with their subordinates, nearly killed them then got them medical attention to demonstrate his power and resources. What really sealed the deal was the sumptuous banquet that had been laid out before them, on a table covered with a tablecloth probably worth more than the remains of the theatre that surrounded them was mouth watering food gathered from both their own connections and several of Jose’s own.

Jose turned to the food and grabbed a huge chicken drumstick, “Gentlemen, time to celebrate the new ruler of Meridiana: me! Stay with me and all this will be yours!” He took a big bite out of the drumstick which signaled to the other guests to start eating.

From an upper balcony CB6 watched the whole gathering with a glare and from one level below Flash and Tarot crouched behind an awning. All three had to suppress a gasp when Oopsy walked up to Jose.

Oopsy’s fur stood on end in Jose’s presence but now she couldn’t mistake the smell that had entered the building some time ago.

Jose swallowed and turned to her with a glare, “Well, what do you want mutant girl?!”

“There’s an intruder here,” Oopsy’s voice sounded hollow as she spoke.

“Well go get them! Don’t bother my celebration feast!” He pointed out to the balconies with his half-finished drumstick. Oopsy said nothing, only turned and walked away while followed by the eyes of several of the other guests until she disappeared through a door.

Flash heard Oopsy coming up the stairs and bolted for the nearby door, almost crashing into her as she emerged from the nearby stairwell.

“Flash Heart!?” Oopsy almost shrieked when she ran into him, “What are you doing? You can’t be here!”

“Me? Why are you here?” Flash Heart demanded.

“You don’t have to be here,” Tarot Heart was panting as he stopped next to them.

Oopsy looked down at Tarot, then turned to Flash and grabbed him by the arms, “No! You don’t understand, I can’t leave them!”

“Why not? Dizzy what’s wrong?” Flash winced at the girl bear’s strong grip.

“Flash, Tarot!” CB6 had appeared in the doorway from the balcony, “What are you doing here? Who is she!?”

Oopsy’s hands shot to her head and she doubled over in pain. Flash was about to speak when Oopsy shouted, “Run! Flash!” And let out a sudden fierce growl.

Flash and Tarot stepped back in shock as Oopsy stumbled back and her body started bulking up all over. She opened her mouth as her snout extended and her teeth grew into long fangs, her ears growing to triangular points and her fur changing from green to a greasy black save for a small amount of green hair on the top of her head. Her clothes finally gave way, tearing apart as her arms and legs grew longer, forcing Oopsy into a hunched position, supported on her front paws.

“Run!” CB6 shouted as she charged at Oopsy, who just jumped right back at her, but mis-timed as CB6 sailed overhead.

Tarot listened and ran down the stairs but Flash could only watch as Oopsy the werewolf fought CB6. Seeing that he wouldn’t run, CB6 turned and ran into the balcony with the wolf on his trail.

The sound of smashing wood drew the feasters’ attention as CB6 jumped from the balcony to the floor and Oopsy the werewolf smashed through the railings while chasing him. CB6 had to practically bounce off the floor and onto the stage to avoid Oopsy smashing into him, but the wolf just chased her quarry on to the stage and jumping over the pile of weapons and ammo.

Jose jumped up to stand on his chair, “HA! Dinner and a show! Fixed ideas, shoot CB6 down!”

“No! You can’t!” Tarot Heart had run down to the floor and grabbed Jose’s arm, “It’s not fair!”

Jose just grinned evilly at the small black bear, “I know, but it’s fun! Shoot him down!” he shouted. Tarot Heart stared, then jumped on Jose and knocked him off the chair.

“Get him off me!” Jose shouted as Tarot tried to bite him. A fixed idea grabbed Tarot and pulled him off Jose, dangling Tarot by his shirt.

Jose pulled himself up and glared at Tarot Heart, “I’ll deal with you later. Shoot him!” He spun around and pointed to where CB6 and Oopsy hand landed on the upper balcony. Several mobsters and fixed ideas opened fire from rifles and handguns but too late to hit either of them.

CB6 darted down to the middle balcony, even his body starting to feel the exertion of keeping ahead of the larger and stronger werewolf. He turned to face Oopsy as she landed on all fours across the balcony. She snarled and began to circle around, ready to pounce as the men below lost sight of them.

Oopsy was about to pounce when a shout stopped her.

“Dizzy! Stop!” Flash Heart charged into the balcony and flung himself between Oopsy and CB6, arms spread and facing the werewolf.

“Flash! Get out of here!” CB6 swung his arm towards the nearby door, a small ice dagger forming in the opposite hand as he readied himself to fight.

Flash ignored him and stared down the snarling wolf as she got closer. “Dizzy please don’t do this. I know we just met but you can’t want to do this can you?”

The wolf paused with her teeth still bared but now in silence as Flash continued to speak. “I know it might not mean much but I liked the little time we spent together, even if you were sent to get me I don’t think you want this, please stop,” Flash was crying now but he kept his face rigid.

Oopsy stared back at Flash Heart and her eyes became more alive. The door to the stairs blasting open made them all turn as a pair of fixed ideas appeared, one with a rocket launcher.

“Get down!” CB6 charged at the fixed ideas, managing to stab the one with the launcher in the shoulder which made it drop the weapon as he drew the sustenance out to drink and kicked the other away. Oopsy jumped at Flash, who just shut his eyes expecting to be torn apart but instead she grabbed his shirt in her teeth and jumped off the balcony down to the floor.

“Yeah! Get him!” Jose shouted, remembering how Flash had foiled his theft all too well.

“NO!” Tarot Heart managed to swing around and bite the arm of the fixed idea that held him. Despite his youth he was still a bear and the bite made the monster drop Tarot Heart right as Oopsy hit the ground and jumped on to the stage in front of the weapon’s pile. Tarot Heart bolted for the stage and froze as he saw Oopsy the werewolf set Flash down and lean in close, sniffing him.

“Fl-Flash?” Oopsy’s voice was a guttural growl as she stared at him.

“What are you waiting for?! Kill him!” Jose shouted.

“Not today!” CB6 hurled an ice spear through the fixed idea that had held Tarot hostage then crashed down on its back, managing to draw out its sustenance as he jumped towards the stage and landed next to Tarot Heart. He drew the green fluid into his mouth and drank it down, ready to attack when the werewolf might attack his kids.

Time seemed to hang still for everyone as Oopsy sniffed again, then smiled and licked Flash’s face, “Flash Heart,” she croaked out.

“Dizzy!” Flash smiled. CB6 and Tarot Heart both gave a huge sigh of relief.

Jose was hopping up and down in place, practically pulling his hair out, “Stupid traitor! Get them, you worthless mutants! Kill them!”

A clang from overhead drew everyone’s attention. The second fixed idea that had gone up to the balcony had retrieved the dropped rocket launcher which was now aimed at the stage, and all the munitions.

“NO! DON’T SHOOT THAT!” Jose’s order came too late as the fixed idea pulled the trigger.

CB6 grabbed Tarot and Oopsy snatched Flash up and both jumped up to the second balcony by the time the rocket had launched and everyone on the ground floor bolted for the exits.

CB6 and Oopsy were barely out the window when the explosion ripped through the old theater but neither stopped while carrying their passengers until they were far from the structure as a huge hole was blown in the side and the rest of the building slowly collapsed.

Somehow, Jose and most of the men that had been inside managed to escape. One was coughing from the debris of the explosion and got up, “Fuck this! If this is how Jose runs things than I’m out, let’s go Joe,” he motioned for his lackey who just nodded as they left.

Jose was covered in splinters and debris and he stomped his foot as he watched his now former underbosses leaving, “Get back here! You work for me now!” his ranting was ignored as the couple remaining fixed ideas climbed out of the wreckage. Jose turned to them with a very sour look on his face, “They’ll be sorry, all of them will be sorry!”

OoOoO

Oopsy had changed back to normal by the next morning and she sat on the couch, just wearing a towel over her body. Flash and Tarot were still asleep so Soul Heart only offered her some water to drink.

“Thank you,” Oopsy whispered before she took a drink, “Why are you going so nice to me?”

“Because we’re the same,” Soul Heart said, “Both products of Von Reichter’s experiments.”

Oopsy just nodded, “So he grabbed you of the street too?”

“No, he grew me in a pod. What do you mean off the street?” Soul Heart was intrigued.

“Well I was living in a shelter, still going to school when he pulled me in, did stuff to me, made me into… this…” She looked down at her trembling hand, “Gave me that green stuff you drank, it was good and I didn’t need to sleep or eat anything anymore but now.” She shuddered.

“That’s good news at least, maybe, how long have you been on the sustenance?”

“A week or so, this was all so recent…” Oopsy shuddered again.

“Well if you start eating and drinking correctly you might be able to break your dependence on it, not me,” Soul Heart touched her chest, “He made me so I can’t survive without it. Was that why your werewolf form changed? You looked more bestial last night.”

“I felt wilder and more monstrous,” Oopsy drew her legs up to her chest, “I felt so powerful but so… dead inside too, sick but not sick… I mean…”

Soul Heart got up then sat down next to her, “I understand, I can help you through this.”

“No!” Oopsy shook her head violently, “I can’t stay here, he’ll find me and you! And Flash and Tarot too!” Oopsy flung the towel off and stood up, “I have to go before he finds out!” She ran to the window nearby.

Soul Heart was up on her feet and bolted to Oopsy’s side in an instant, “Where are you going?”

“Somewhere I can be safe and get better, maybe break this darkness in me,” Oopsy was crying as she opened the window, “I’ll miss all of you but I need to get away until I’m better. I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Soul Heart sighed. She wanted to try and convince Oopsy to stay but even as she thought of that she knew it couldn’t work, if she was near a source of sustenance like the fixed ideas then Oopsy could too easily fall back into the habits.

As Oopsy started to grow into her black werewolf form again she said, “Tell Flash and Tarot Heart I’m sorry.” A moment later the large misshapen black werewolf jumped out of the window and across the rooftops in the early morning light.

“Mom, what was that?” Tarot Heart had gotten up in time to see the black form jump out the window.

Soul Heart turned and sighed sadly, “Oopsy left, she couldn’t stay.”

Tarot Heart walked to the window and peered out, too late to see Oopsy. “I know we’ll see her again.”

“You can predict that?” Soul Heart stood next to her youngest son.

Oopsy smiled and touched his chest, “No, but I just know we will.”", "pools_count": 1, "title": "CB6 Chapter 2", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "image/gif", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "1", "rating_name": "Mature", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "2", "name": "Nudity", "description": "Nonsexual nudity exposing breasts or genitals (must not show arousal)", "rating_id": "1" }, { "content_tag_id": "3", "name": "Violence", "description": "Mild violence", "rating_id": "1" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "f", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "2", "views": "48" }